“The Merchant of Venice, Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, January. Set in the near future, Arin Arbus’s production of The Merchant of Venice from the Theatre for a New Audience in New York plays out on an austere and anonymous flight of grey steps. At the centre of the drama stands John Douglas Thompson’s Shylock, a figure who carries in his words and body both the full depth of Shakespeare’s portrayal of the Jewish moneylender and the wider history of racism as it bears down on black Americans. It is a remarkable performance, combining detailed attention to Shakespeare’s poetry with passionate critical exploration of the questions raised by the play.” —Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman
Read more at The Scotsman.
Theatre for a New Audience’s production of The Merchant of Venice ran at Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum from January 19 – February 15, 2025. Read more reviews.